Glamgirl

Operation was about 6 hours - my surgeon had a partner help him with closing all the sutures to keep the time down some.
Overall pain level hasn't been too bad. I've stayed on top of pain meds and am now at the point where I am starting to ween off them. Definitely sore and the incisions are pretty uncomfortable, but the drains came out yesterday and that helped a ton. I am starting to itch today though which is no fun.

i feel you! im out 3 years gained 20-25 pounds during covid.... i was so upset with myself as well... beyond upset! , so I called my surgeon and set up a meeting on zoom... I then explained myself. I know the carbs are what got me and less exercising during covid times. I was doing fine before that. So now I have been working really hard to lose the weight and get back on track the past 2 months and he wants me to do HIIT excessing 4-5 days a week. I have lost 10 so far but I was also put on phentramine to help but thats only short term ( 30 days to start) That seems to be helping me as well with my snacking. Just being honest here. Its so easy to get off track... I did and it scared me. I am feeling better but still need to loose a lot more in general . First i want to start with losing the weight I gained, then continue to work to my goal. Just call your doctor and keep your carbs low. I was told to stay under 50 carbs to maintain and under 30 carbs to lose. and to lose keep calories at 1200 a day. Now this is just what my doctors are telling me because they know I want to get this weight off aggressively. So call your surgeon and they will guide you and put you back on track. I felt exactly like you at first but now im feeling better not great but better than I was. I just want this weight gone! hope this helps.

i feel you! im out 3 years gained 20-25 pounds during covid.... i was so upset with myself as well... beyond upset! , so I called my surgeon and set up a meeting on zoom... I then explained myself. I know the carbs are what got me and less exercising during covid times. I was doing fine before that. So now I have been working really hard to lose the weight and get back on track the past 2 months and he wants me to do HIIT excessing 4-5 days a week. I have lost 10 so far but I was also put on phentramine to help but thats only short term ( 30 days to start) That seems to be helping me as well with my snacking. Just being honest here. Its so easy to get off track... I did and it scared me. I am feeling better but still need to loose a lot more in general . First i want to start with losing the weight I gained, then continue to work to my goal. Just call your doctor and keep your carbs low. I was told to stay under 50 carbs to maintain and under 30 carbs to lose. and to lose keep calories at 1200 a day. Now this is just what my doctors are telling me because they know I want to get this weight off aggressively. So call your surgeon and they will guide you and put you back on track. I felt exactly like you at first but now im feeling better not great but better than I was. I just want this weight gone! hope this helps.

Hey fellow DSers...
Just a little story from me, a DSer roughly 2 1/2 years out.
I underwent the DS on 8/13/2018, and effortlessly lost over 100% of my excess weight.
So during the 2020 lockdown I think a number of circumstances contributed to me gaining ~30 pounds of regain! I'm not sure when the regain precisely started, probably sometime in April 2020, since I wasn't logging my weight by that time.
Now to the DS's credit, even with that 30 pounds I was still within the "normal" BMI for my height, at around 24 BMI. This regain wasn't disastrous, but I certainly didn't like the trend.
Basically I believe I got overconfident in the DS, and what the DS can do. The DS does have an "achilles-heel" and that's simple refined carbs. The powerful malabsorption properties of the DS are defeated by simple refined grains and simple sugars. In addition, those foods seem to be "slider foods" as I can fill up quickly, but they pass though the sleeve quickly so I'm ready for more.. For some reason (depression, low fat absorption, who knows) I developed quite the sweet tooth, and I ate as much chocolate and candy that I wanted (which was a lot). I also ate processed high-carb-laden frozen foods, grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas, pizza, fast-food breakfasts and lunches, etc. I didn't eat a huge amount at once, as I still have good restriction.. but it all added up. Oh and of course no physical activity or exercise.
On around Jan 21st I decided to take control again and got back to basics... eliminated all simple carbs/sugars/etc, logged and counted calories, though I didn't exercise. The DS worked it's magic, and I'll post a screenshot of my weight log over the past 2 months.
The last time I logged my weight in MyFitnessPal was Dec. 7th, 2019 at 133.2 lbs. I'm not sure why I stopped logging - probably because my weight didn't move much at that point. I made it my goal to lose all my regain since that point - so 133.2 lbs. was my goal. It's really a bit low a weight for me, but I wanted to start from where I last left off and rebuild good habits from that point, not a point of regain.
The loss wasn't really that difficult, and I wasn't really all that hungry very often. I still have good restriction - the "cottage cheese" tests seems to indicate I have about a 6.5 oz sleeve capacity, may 7 or 7.5 if pushed or with certain foods, and less with dense Proteins.
I love the DS. Best decision ever.

@Glamgirl If you're a traditional DSer, the best thing to do is eat lots of Protein, low carbs and fluids. That should get your weight going in the right direction.

Thanks Postop! I really appreciate your words of encouragement ! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

@GlamgirlYou haven't failed yourself. You've just had a small setback. The beauty of the DS is you can still eat and eat and lose weight. Eat steak, burgers, nuts, cold cuts, cheeses...don't deny yourself.

it's a lot, but it's definitely do-able. It's way better than having to lose 50 lbs! Rein yourself in now before it gets out of control. Good for you for making an appt with the surgeon. I'm sure they'll tell you to get back on the plan and start tracking your food again. To be honest, I still have to do it every day at six years out. I went on vacation for a month last year, and although I wasn't eating like a pig, I wasn't tracking my food and I didn't have access to a scale. I came back a few lbs heavier than when I left. I now know that I have to monitor myself closely every freaking day...

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best thing I've ever done.... lost a lot at the beginning and now losing slowly, never regained and its been 15 months since surgery

ughh i always have to watch myself with that... its a constant struggle... i mean 30 minutes is very slow to eat such a small meal. I do it though because If I eat too fast then I vomit it back up and then I don't want to eat at all. And to note I am 9 months post op!

Oh I told my surgeon to do it all together! it needed to come out anyway

Unfortunately, it can happen again. But it can also not. It’s kind of a guessing game within the first few years of WLS.
With me, I didn’t have any hernias till 9 years out. That was really odd.
I also have a hiatal hernia (also not uncommon) but we’re leaving it alone unless it gets too bad.

My DS surgery was april of 2018 with Dr. Bruce at Bariatrics of NC . All has been good, but then I rate having stomach pains really bad that lasted a long time when it happened just two months ago. It has only happened about 3-4 times, so naturally I went back to my surgeon and spoke to him about it. I thought maybe I was dehydrated , but he said NOPE, you have an internal hernia going on... and that I would need surgery as soon as I can make the appointment. Sooner than later he stressed! He could not do the surgery which disappointed me but he referred me to Dr. Lindsay Sharpe. So 1 week later I made an appointment which I had surgery done with Dr. Sharpe just yesterday 6/17/19 lasted about an hour. It started out as a diagnostic lap surgery to see exactly what was going on , and indeed it was the hernia that they found. They fixed it and I went home today and I feel a lot of pain but otherwise I just have to rest and no lifting for 3 weeks and no exercise for 6 weeks.
They said because of the weight loss that it opened up a gap around my intestines causing blockage and this happened. Not sure on all details until my follow up next Tuesday but once I know ALL the details , I will post on here. Its funny now when you have surgery , you don't see the surgeon afterwards... you have to wait until follow up appointment to really get full details. his Medical assistant filled me in but not totally, so I am kinda in limbo on details. I cant wait for Tuesday to find out what he did exactly !
Has anyone had this happen to them after DS surgery?

Sorry to hear about the pain.
This isn't uncommon. The weight loss can also sometimes make stitches looser and cause a hernia (pushing through). It is sometimes said that plastics and/or hernia surgeries are the finishing touches to weight loss surgery.

Hi and yes I did!! Dr Bruce is my doctor as well and fixed a hernia as well as a twisted colon and some adhesions in April. I had my DS February 2018. Since the April surgery and just had another surgery on June 10th to remove my right colon and a part of my small intestine. This surgery has been rough and I'm not bouncing back like I did before. As I'm writing this I'm at Wakemed Cary in a hospital bed getting fluids and Vitamins. I hope you feel better quickly!!!

Eating with a cocktail fork REALLY slows you down.
Also eating with chopsticks slows you down.
Also eating with your opposite hand.
Also having a conversation at the table with family helps you pause and put your fork down between each bite.
Also, don't pre-load your fork with the next bite until you've thoroughly chewed, savored and swallowed the bite in your mouth and you've enjoyed a bit of conversation at the table.

Hi AllieCat I'm going through the Rex bariatrics program too!! Surgery date June 26th!!, I'm getting DS through Dr sharp...so nervous and excited

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I had my surgery jan 22 2018, I am about to be 13 months out. (34year old, 5'7)
What a journey. Started at 402lbs, a weight I now can't believe I had. it's crazy and unreal. My skin DOES reminds me that "hey you had that weight" but I am trying to have less floppy skin I wish I worked on it before but it's fine. And maybe tmi but also working on my breasts so they are less in a sad shape.
I don't necessarily eat well and I probably eat less that I am supposed to but I am proud.
13 months ago i was at 323.4lbs, today I am at 187.8, sometimes i gained 1-4lbs, then i lose it back and lose some more. I only really had one plateau that lasted a month, i had some plateau that lasted a week or even two but after weight somewhat catched up, losing in general from 6lbs to 10-12lbs per month, I still got a few to lose to not be in "bmi overweight" but i am no longer in obesity. I am focusing more on my skin then my weight loss.
I wouldn't say surgery changed my life, but yes it improved it. I sometime see myself bigger then I actually am. I am still afraid to sit in booth thinking I won't fit... yet i fit with space to go. my shirt size went from like 3x to M or L.
picture of day of surgery at 323 and now
 

genepro!

Sending love and prayers to you!!! Dr Bruce did mine as well, he is fantastic!!! I had the DS as well. Please let us know how everything goes....[emoji8]

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Hello! Dr Bruce did mine too In April! Love him!!! He is the best! I am sending you prayers and hope all goes well for you!!! Also your weight loss seems to be going fantastic!!!

Hi, I had my DS surgery on December 13th, 2018. It was performed by Dr Jon Bruce, MD of WakeMed Bariatric Specialists Of NC In Cary, NC. I had lost 20 lbs prior to surgery and have lost 50lbs since surgery. Dr Bruce is the best! While in there doing my surgery, he spotted something on my liver, took a biopsy, sent it off and it came back stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver! If not for him, I would have never known it. I have to go see a liver specialist next month for options. Please pray for me! Thanks in advance!

Call your local hospitals, they usually know who host support groups.

Looking to start support group meetings in The central north Carolina areas. Anyone know of any? I am in Davidson County. I would love to start one where we could meet once a week or even just twice a month. If there meetings out there feel free to share! I would love to attend. This forum is nice but its always better to meet in person and talk about our experiences through this journey !